


Mocha Americano

by antigrav_vector



Series: Spiraling Ever Upward [2]
Category: Captain America (MCU), Iron Man (MCU), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Ballet Dancer Natasha, Bisexual Bucky Barnes, Bisexual Steve Rogers, F/M, First Kiss, Happy Steve Bingo, M/M, Multi, POV Steve Rogers, Threesome - M/M/F, threesome negotiation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-15 23:25:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16073573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antigrav_vector/pseuds/antigrav_vector
Summary: Steve and Bucky go on a date. It happens to be at the Opera House, where Natasha has a performance. That is not an accident.





	Mocha Americano

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta'ed.
> 
> So, here is the next installment of my Happy Steve Bingo series (a college AU of my OT6 fic series [Like trying to stop an avalanche](https://archiveofourown.org/series/380455)). There will be a lot of poly in upcoming installments, so if that's not your thing, beware.
> 
> Square: First Kiss

Bucky had waited all of twelve hours after mentioning Natasha to throw Steve into the same room as her.

Steve had to admit Bucky hadn't been kidding one bit about his girl, though. She was stunning, and smart, too. Steve thought he might be a little bit in love already, and all they'd done was sit down to have a coffee together after Steve's morning classes.

Natasha had waited until Bucky excused himself to the restroom to catch his eyes and ask the question Steve had been waiting to hear. Her expression had gone serious, smile vanishing like mist under the summer sun, and then she'd taken a careful breath. "Tell me something," she'd said, her voice firm and calm but her expressive green eyes holding a mix of trepidation and worry, "James said that you two had discussed having an open relationship, and you seem alright with it, but I must know whether this will cause us problems going forward."

Steve hesitated. "I can't promise that it won't," he answered, picking his way through what felt like a verbal minefield. "I can't see into the future. But I'm okay with it, here and now. I admit, it took me by surprise when he told me about you."

Most of the worry faded, to be replaced with relief and more than a little bit of speculation. "You do know that he is hoping we can do more than simply tolerate one another, yes?"

"He's angling for a lot more than that," Steve agreed with a quiet sigh, "but I'm not... not against it? I'm not, strictly for it, either. But I'm not against it. I'd like to get to know you a little."

Natasha's smile was just as amazing as Bucky had claimed. It was like watching the sun rise over the ocean, bright and blinding if you dared look right at it, but gorgeous nonetheless, and it colored everything in the room with its happiness. Suddenly he understood why Bucky was so hung up on seeing it.

"You are more cautious than James," she said. "Good."

"In some things," Steve had to qualify the statement even as he offered her a rueful smile of his own. "Most of our friends think he's the one calmin' me down."

And, wow, if Natasha's smile was a sunrise, her laughter had to be fireworks. Bucky picked that moment to saunter back up to their table, looking pleased as punch and holding another round of drinks. "What'd I miss?"

"Nothing important, любимый," Natasha told him. "Come, sit, and tell me of your plans for the weekend."

Bucky eyed her for a moment, then shrugged. "None yet. Least, none I can't change. Thought I might spend some time with you and Steve. I mean, you got that performance comin' up soon, so I assumed you'd be practicin' a lot."

"I do, and I will," she said, with a thoughtful tone to her voice. Then she surprised the hell out of Steve by adding, "Come to the performance, and bring Steven with you."

Steve stared at her for several long seconds. He hadn't expected that she might want to pull him into her relationship with Bucky so soon. "When and where is it? I might have to stay in and do coursework, so I can't promise I'll be there," he replied, carefully leaving himself and Bucky an out.

"Next Friday night, 7pm, at the Opera House downtown," Bucky answered for her.

"I will get you tickets," Natasha promised, another much more subtle smile tugging at her lips.

Steve gave in. "Alright. Friday. We gotta dress fancy for this?"

"Moderately," Natasha told him. "But they will not kick you out as long as you are not in flipflops and swim trunks. Slacks and a button up shirt will do. A nice tie, if you have one."

He hated wearing ties; Steve made a face. "Okay. I think I can scrounge something up."

"Do." Natasha stood, her movements graceful, and pushed her chair back in. "You boys enjoy your coffee. I must go prepare for my next class."

Bucky nodded. "Love you, любимый," he declared quietly, standing long enough to take her hand for a brief chaste kiss.

"I love you, too," she answered, and brought one hand up to tease at Bucky's jaw a little, affectionate and fond.

Steve could see how smitten the pair of them were. It made him smile, despite the slowly subsiding simmer of jealousy he still felt and fought. And then, between one blink and the next, Natasha was gone, the little bell above the coffee shop door tinkling as she left.

"You sure weren't kiddin' about her," Steve said after a beat. "She really is somethin' else."

Bucky beamed. "God, Steve, I don't know what I'd'a done if you said no," he confided, pitching his voice not to carry and relief in every line of him as he slumped back in his chair. "There's still a lot we gotta talk about, over, an' through, but you got no idea how happy I am we have a chance at this."

"It ain't gonna be easy," Steve warned him. "And what do you mean, stuff to talk about?"

"Nah, but it'll be worth it." His boyfriend shot back with a shrug, and Steve found he couldn't really disagree. "I been doin' some readin'. Open relationships are pretty common, these days, but what I want, integratin' it all? That ain't. So I started diggin'. Thought someone somewhere musta had the same questions. An' I found some stuff that got me thinkin'. We can go over the details of it at home. I'll invite Nat, if you want."

What the hell had he gotten himself into? Steve scrubbed a hand over his face. "I got no extra time for reading this semester," he grumbled. "You better summarise what you found for me."

Laughing indulgently, Bucky agreed. "Sure, later. You got class to attend, an' so do I. We'll talk over dinner tonight."

A glance at his watch made Steve groan. His next class was History, and the professor really was as nitpicky as the rumours had claimed. He downed the remains of his coffee in one long pull and stood, hefting his messenger bag onto his shoulder. "Right, dinner. I'll see you later, Buck."

"See you, Steve," Bucky replied. "Send me a text if ya got any requests for tonight's menu."

Steve tossed a sloppy mock salute over his shoulder and made his way out of the coffee shop, grateful that the place was near a red line stop. That simple fact made his trip back to campus so much faster, and he was glad he wouldn't have to worry about being late, at least.

Later that night, far later, he and Bucky had eaten dinner, and then Bucky had presented him with a copy of a book titled _The Ethical Slut_ and, as promised, proceeded to sum up the contents. Steve had ended up with quite a lot to think about, after that. A lot of it he'd already worked out for himself with Bucky, when they'd talked about opening up their relationship since Buck was a year older and would therefore be going off to university before Steve would. Some of it was about aspects he hadn't considered, because he had been convinced no one would be interested in a guy -- even one as attractive as Bucky -- who was openly already attached to another man. Stuff like communication, and kink negotiation.

He'd decided to sleep on the ideas. And then to think about things a bit more until Friday.

Bucky, though he'd been a bit disappointed that Steve hadn't been willing to talk about it immediately, went along with his decision willingly enough, and Steve was glad of that. Looking back on it on Friday morning, he knew he'd made the right decision, taking the time to come to terms with the whole idea and work out whether he really wanted it.

And, he knew, thinking back to his first -- and so far only -- meeting with Natasha at the coffee shop, he did want it. She was gorgeous and well-educated, and Bucky was head-over-heels for her. Steve was still a bit jealous, but the prospect of getting to have a piece of her for himself mollified him, made a lot of that jealousy simply melt away and vanish. Now, he was mostly jealous of the fact that Bucky had had her to himself for a year. The lucky bastard.

By some miracle, the only class he had on Fridays was his art history class, so Steve took full advantage of the free time. He went to class dutifully, doing his best not to think about the evening's coming excitement -- he was effectively going on a date with Bucky to watch Bucky's girlfriend perform on stage, Jesus -- and, once class was finally over, he threw himself into his homework, spreading his books and papers out on the livingroom coffee table and trying to plough though as much of it as he could before he had to get ready. It would be both a good distraction and productive work, so there were really no downsides. Bucky had class all through the day, until about 3 pm, so Steve would be at loose ends otherwise, and knowing himself, he would only end up spending the time getting himself all anxious and worked up if he didn't do something unrelated to their date.

Almost before he knew it, Bucky was unlocking the door and stepping through it. Steve sat back on the sofa and stretched with a quiet groan, feeling a couple of vertebrae pop back into place. "Hey Buck," he called.

"Oh you're home," Bucky replied, coming into their livingroom and taking in the scene. "Thought you mighta gone out tie shopping or somethin'."

Steve made a face. "You know just how much I hate wearing a noose around my neck," he retorted, and got a chuckle out of his boyfriend.

Bucky sauntered over to him and dropped down onto the sofa to give him a kiss. "Productive day?"

Smiling, Steve stole a second kiss before he answered. "More or less. Had'ta distract myself somehow."

"You said it," Bucky agreed fervently. "If I hadn't been in class all day, I think I mighta come right outta my skin."

It was oddly reassuring to know Bucky was just as nervous about this as he was. That they both wanted it to go well. "Come on," he prompted, "come share a shower, and then we'll eat and get dressed."

"Nah, better eat first," Bucky disagreed.

"Not sure I can. Stomach's all tied up in knots," Steve confessed, leaning into Bucky's shoulder.

"You better. I don't wanna be pickin' you up off the Opera House floor after your blood sugar tanks," Bucky told him firmly. "An' Nat wouldn't thank you for that either."

To Steve's surprise, everything went smoothly after that, right up until they took their seats at the Opera House. That was when the reality of it came rushing back in, and made him bite at his lip. Bucky noticed immediately, and took his hand. Steve took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, and mostly succeeded, just in time for the lights to go down.

Afterwards, if you'd asked him, Steve wouldn't have been able to describe the performance at all. All the words would have just fallen out of his ears or evaporated, or something. In the moment, he couldn't look away. The dancers' graceful movements, the music, the lighting, everything combined to make for a magical experience. The conductor, the orchestra, and the dance troupe all seemed to be limbs connected to one consciousness, and it made for a performance that enraptured. When the show was over and the curtains fell, it was like a spell had been broken.

He and Bucky joined the rest of the audience in the standing ovation.

"Wow," was all Steve could think to say.

"Yeah," Bucky agreed knowingly as the dancers and the musicians all took a bow. "They manage to pull it off pretty much every time. It's amazin'. C'mon, let's find ourselves a corner to wait in while Nat gets changed."

The pair of them loitered in the Opera House foyer as the theatre emptied, and Steve assumed that was something Bucky and Natasha had agreed on. Probably something they'd decided shortly after they'd started dating. Bucky, to Steve's surprise, was rather quiet. Not that Steve minded, he needed time to come down off the emotional high of that performance, but it was unusual.

"James!" Natasha exclaimed happily, appearing out of the crowd to fling herself into his arms and kiss him solidly.

Bucky went with it, sweeping her up into his arms and swinging her around. "You were beautiful up there," he told her when he'd settled her on her feet again. "Yevgeniy is a good match for you, as male lead."

"He still needs some polish, but he is improving rapidly," Natasha declared, then turned to greet Steve. She leaned in to drop a kiss on his cheekbone, surprising him, and said low enough for no one but him and maybe Bucky to hear, "You are looking quite delicious, tonight. Perhaps I was right to be jealous of James for his golden angel of a boyfriend, all this time."

Blushing, Steve tried to come up with something to say, but the English language had deserted him in his time of need.

Natasha laughed, delighted by his reaction, and took them both by the elbow, "Come," she said and started tugging them towards the doors, "let us find someplace to eat dinner. I'm starving."

The only question running through Steve's mind as they left the theatre, Bucky and Natasha happily making smalltalk about the performance and the way their respective days had gone, was a slightly dazed and bewildered, _Does that count as a first kiss?_

**Author's Note:**

> любимый = Darling


End file.
